UCL in the News: HIV men 'having unsafe gay sex'

The UCL poll of 2,640 men in Manchester, Brighton and London also revealed a fifth of gay men without HIV do the same.

Researchers said it was worrying, and called for a renewed push to discourage risky behaviour, the Sexually Transmitted Infections journal said. …

The latest research was carried out between 2003 and 2004 in gay clubs, bars and saunas. …

Across the entire sample, one in three men who was HIV positive did not know they had the infection. …

This was despite the fact that over two-thirds of these men said they had been to a sexual health clinic within the past year.

Some 18% of HIV negative men and 37% of HIV positive men said they had had unprotected sex with more than one partner in the past year. …

Lead researcher Dr Danielle Mercey said: "We have to renew our efforts to ensure people with HIV get early diagnosis and also look to curb risky behaviour.

"This is particularly important for younger men who are more likely to demonstrate risky behaviour in much the same way as they are more likely to drive fast or take drugs.

"It is only by early diagnosis and safe sex that we will reduce the rate of HIV." …

BBC News